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Nicki Minaj, SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Those who would judge hip hop as having less cultural cachet than
other art forms have clearly never seen Nicki Minaj in concert.
Touring in support of 2014's The Pinkprint, the Trinidadian-New
Yorker eschewed the party hits - at least until the end of the night -
in favour of some of the more emotive cuts from her latest album. The
first section of the four-part show in particular, which opened with the
autobiographical and deeply moving "All Things Go", was closer to a
carefully-plotted opera than a pop showcase: and, much like opera, it
didn't really matter when you couldn't make out the words over the
thudding bass because the story was obvious.

Words, of course, are Minaj's currency, and she had no intention of
being tight with them. "Feeling Myself", the album's collaboration with
Beyonc�, was a raunchy demonstration of the MC's vocal acrobatics, while
"Lookin' Ass" and revenge anthem "Did It On 'Em" found her spitting
words like ammo in a pair of sparkly knee-high boots and a
shrapnel-covered bra. The dancers may similarly have only been in
underwear, but together they looked like the most fearless girl gang of
all time.
Later on, Minaj slowed things down in a hot pink halterneck dress,
accompanied by a piano and two gospel singers. Heartbreak ballad "Pills n
Potions" featured a breathtaking vocal performance, while Pink Friday:
Roman Reloaded's "Marilyn Monroe" gave me chills.
But there was still time for pink tutus and party hits, fashioning a
makeshift kilt from a tartan blanket passed up from the audience and
changing the words to "Super Bass" to reflect how Minaj "really got a
thing for Scottish boys". By that time, the feeling was mutual.